1. Field of the Invention.
This invention concerns pry tools and more particularly pry tools especially adapted for dislodging concrete forms from set concrete.
2. Description of the Prior Art.
In the construction of concrete buildings, the floors or decks are commonly constructed with integral webs or beams which provide the necessary strength to support the poured concrete floors or decking. In carrying out this construction, it is a common practice to utilize sheet steel forms or pans which generally are U-shaped in configuration, with a terminal lip at each free end of the form. A plurality of parallel rows of form pans in end to end alignment are provided to make up a concrete form in which the spaces between the sides of the rows of form pans provides the mold cavity for forming the webbing or beams. Plywood forms are shored in position from beneath the form pans and the floor poured over the top and between the form pans. After pouring of the concrete, the form pans must be dislodged from the set concrete, which task has not heretofore been able to be easily carried out without encountering considerable dificulties.
Firstly, the workers are obliged to work overhead which requires a very taxing physical effort.
Secondly, the dislodging process has been relatively slow and time-consuming since there has heretofore been no highly effective manner of engaging the form pans with a pry tool. Generally, simple pry bars or crowbars have been used to pry loose the form pans. However, the lip edges of the form pans are not overly large and the unbraced configuration of the form pans prevents the pry bar from obtaining effective engagement with the lip since the form pan sides tend to deflect away and lose engagement with the pry bar. The edge itself is also relatively easy to bend and the engagement of the pry bar has a tendency to grossly deform the form pans and prevent the exerting of sufficient force to produce dislodging.
The resulting difficulties encountered by the construction workers renders this particular task rather labor intensive and time consuming and is further a dangerous and tiresome task. Also, the nature of the construction process relating to this particular stage of construction is such that it is very common for large numbers of workers to be waiting for removal of such form pans, this task thus representing a bottle-neck operation in the overall process.
It would be highly advantageous if this process could be carried out in a more expeditious manner since the related labor costs could be greatly reduced in those instances where large numbers of construction workers are forced to wait for the completion of this task. Also, it would be much to the advantage of the workers actually engaged in the activity since the effort involved is so considerable as described and further the direct labor costs could be reduced if the dislodging process could be expedited.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a pry tool which is particularly adapted to this task and which renders the process much more expeditious and less physically burdensome to the workers involved.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a tool which can be applied to other situations in which sheet-like members or panels must be pryed or pulled relative to a structure in which difficulties are involved in obtaining a good prying engagement of tools with the panel.